Collective Iranian Culturebase

* Vosooghoddoleh *

Hassan Vosough,Vothuq al-Dowleh

وثوق الدوله ، حسین وثوق

Vosooghoddoleh was the Anglophile prime minister of the Anglo-Persian oil agreement. Hasan Vosooghoddoleh (1873, Tehran - 1950, Tehran) was a Prime Minister of Qajar dynasty in Iran. He became Prime Minister of Iran 3 times. He was a supporter of Constitutional Movement of Iran.He was the son of Mirza Ebrahim Motamedossaltaneh Ashtiyani and the older brother of Ahmad Qavam (Ghavamossaltaneh). He was trained in literature, philosophy by famous people such as Mirza Ahmad Golpayegani, Mirza Hashem Rashti Ashkoori, and Mirza Abolhasan Jelveh. He learned French and English well after some trips to Europe.When he was young, he became the Mostofi of the Azerbaijan Province. He was elected as representative to 1st and 2nd term of Majlis (parliament) and because of his family influence, he became the deputy chairman. 16 times minister in different cabinets until Reza Shah’s reign, he was appointed Prime Minister in 1916 but could not hold grip to the job for more than less than 10 months though he did not have good relations with Ahmad Shah, but he had close ties with the British Embassy which meddled in Iran’s affairs.His second term as Prime Minister began in Aug, 1918 and lasted until July, 1920. He was strongly supported by the British during this period. He was bribed by the British to sign the infamous agreement of 1919, thus when he was dismissed from duty by Reza Shah, he went to Europe. Although he paid back some of the money he had taken from the British, for the rest of his life, he lived in disgrace and his name was associated with treason as an Anglophile overshadowing all his good qualities.